Beer Review: Jailhouse Brewing Co., Beer of The Guards

I’m always very excited to try the latest Jailhouse offering, and this is no exception. I wonder if the pun inspired the beer, or if the style came first?

32 oz growler from Hop City, Atlanta, GA, USA.

Bière de Garde’s can have a wide range of colors and taste attributes, and this one sits at the darker end of the spectrum. However, it still has a lovely red clarity and is not ‘dark’ as such.

Jailhouse, Beer Of The Guards

It starts off as a malty, English, biscuity bitter, with a nice grapefruit twang; at least that’s how it comes out of the fridge. However, as it warms the beer starts to take on some very complex character. There’s a DRAMATIC fruit element. Soft, gentle (not harsh or solvent based) esters start to impose themselves. There’s a touch of bubble gum, and a light touch to the fruit.

This is followed by another quite dramatic left turn. This time there is some significant dryness and a brash, bitterness. The dry bitterness lingers for a very long time , and gives a tannin, grape skin finish that pushes its way into the aftertaste.

On occasion, BdG’s can exhibit Saison like funk, this one doesn’t, but to me it feels like the bitterness replaces that potential farmhouse feel and the beer is not lessened for it. In addition, one can also get varying degrees of alcohol but Beer of The Guards is relatively subtle in terms of solvent flavor. (Glenn tells me that this comes in at 7%). Low earthy character (good) and high drinkability (very good).

Finally there is another flourish of grapefruit before it’s done.

Another, fantastically executed (not in the American jail, sense of the word!) , stylistically correct beer which is the hallmark of Glenn Golden at Jailhouse. Tasty, tasty beer.